Federal autopsy ordered for black teen killed by police in Ferguson

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Justice Department on Sunday ordered its own autopsy on the body of 18-year-old black teen Michael Brown who was shot dead last week by a police officer in Ferguson, U.S. State of Missouri.

"Due to the extraordinary circumstances involved in this case and at the request of the Brown family, Attorney General Holder has instructed Justice Department officials to arrange for an additional autopsy to be performed by a federal medical examiner," Department of Justice spokesman Brian Fallon said in a statement.

The autopsy, as an independent examination, will take place as soon as possible, the statement said.

The state of Missouri is performing its own autopsy on the corpse of Brown, an unarmed African American teen shot down by a white officer.

"Justice Department officials still plan to take the state- performed autopsy into account in the course of their investigation," it said.

The incident has brought dispute in the United States with a voice said Brown was shot after a scuffle with the officer, who claims Brown's robbing of a convenience store, while another voice says Brown was gunned down with his hands raised after asking the officer not to shoot him.

Tensions over the case have led to several nights of violent unrest in some areas in Ferguson.